


Growing Up

by ElliottRookArchive (ElliottRook)



Category: Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-08-09
Updated: 2001-08-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:01:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23341372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElliottRook/pseuds/ElliottRookArchive
Summary: Iori runs into an old acquaintance and kindles their friendship, but everyone's teasing makes him wonder if she thinks it's something more.
Relationships: Hida Iori | Cody Hida/Original Female Character(s)





	Growing Up

**Author's Note:**

> "Mariko" appeared in the series one time, if you read you'll see where, but she was not given a name, so her fleshed-out characterization is my own creation.

Fourteen-year-old Iori Hida sat on a park bench, picking over his lunch. It wasn't that he didn't like peanut butter and jelly. He just wasn't hungry. He turned his attention to people-watching--a hobby that was more interesting these days than it had been back when he had been younger. These days, everyone had their own Digimon, and it was interesting to see if the Digimon seemed to fit their person's personality.

His friend, Miyako, poked him in the arm. "Cody, what's on your mind?"

He blinked and looked up. "Nothing!"

"Don't give me that, Cody. You're thinking about something."

He sighed. _How does she do that?_ "Well...I was just remembering...this is close to where we battled Daemon's lackeys..."

"What about it?" Miyako asked.

"Well, Yolei, I was wondering if we could go back to the place where it happened." Iori knew that they had put up a plaque in the honor of the battles fought there, now that people understood what had taken place. That didn't interest him. What he was curious about was the hospital. He and T.K. had helped evacuate it, and he had been there when a wall had been broken through. He'd seen it happen. He had never gone back to see how the repairs looked.

Of course, the hospital held _other_ memories for him as well...

Miyako nodded. She knew all was right as long as he called her "Yolei". It was when he ceased to use the nickname she asked people to use that things were wrong. "Of course we can." She stuffed the last bit of her sandwich, which really could have been two bites, into her mouth. "Lesh go..."

Iori frowned on her double display of bad manners, but her giggle at his look of reproach made him laugh, too. He offered her his sandwich, since he wasn't hungry, and since she was still hungry, she took it and he waited while she ate it.

Finally, as he and Miyako walked toward the street where the battles had long ago raged, he pulled his coat tighter around him. It was getting cold out--but then, it was Christmas vacation and snow was due some day soon. _I can't wait for the snow. Yolei loves snow. We'll probably go out and play in it, if it ever falls._ Technically, it should have already come. It was only a week and a half until Christmas.

They read the plaque. Iori didn't come here often, but whenever he had to go down this street for whatever reason, he always paused to re-read it, and whisper a silent prayer over all the people that had been there. No people had died, but it had been a harrowing experience, and anyone who had seen it deserved a special blessing once in a while. _May they be happy during the holidays,_ he thought.

"In honor of the six DigiDestined children and their Digimon who battled Daemon here, on December 22, 2000," Miyako read aloud. A picture of each of them and their Digimon were underneath, and their names were under the pictures.

He smiled on seeing his picture. It fascinated him, how much younger he had looked only three years ago. Of course, Armadillomon was in the picture with him. Upamon was home today. Miyako had said that the two of them needed to have a day out in the snow--which was pending, and had yet to fall--without Upamon and Poromon, or any of the other kids, just like old times.

And Iori was enjoying it. As much as he hated to say it, he was almost glad that Upamon _wasn't_ with him today. Upamon would cheer him up, and today he needed to think for a little while. He didn't need cheering.

Miyako, being the way she was, the first non-family member to hold him after he was born, his first friend ever, sensed this. She kept herself serious for the time being.

"Let's go to the hospital," Iori finally suggested. "I haven't been there since the battle, and I want to see how they fixed it. If they did it back the same way, or if they re-decorated it or whatever."

Miyako nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me, Cody."

They walked off again.

At the hospital, they entered and went to the receptionist's desk. "Can I help you?" the lady asked.

Iori nodded. "Would it be possible for us to see the wing where the battle with the Digimon took place three years ago?"

The receptionist blinked. "You look awfully familiar--say, aren't you two of those DigiDestined that were fighting that night? I pass by your picture every day on that plaque..."

Miyako blinked and blushed. Iori nodded.

The receptionist thought for a minute. "Well, I don't see any harm in it. Go on. You remember the way?"

Iori nodded again. "Thank you, ma'am." He took Miyako's hand and led her off.

Upstairs, on the landing, he glanced around. Nothing had changed. The wall had been rebuilt, and they had fixed it back to the way it was.

Iori glanced around, nervously, almost as if he expected that long, black tentacle to break through again. His breath caught in his throat for a minute as he remembered the huge monster, pixilized right before his very eyes. The two kids that he, T.K., and Jim had helped. That young boy, and the girl in the wheelchair. He gasped, and blinked. He looked around at the lights, turned on full, and the solid wall. After he was satisfied that all was right, he turned to Miyako. "I'm ready now...but can we go out a different way?"

Miyako blinked, but she realized what was going on. "Sure."

They went down the stairs and left in a different direction. He led her through the emergency waiting room. Iori brushed his fingertips over the walls as they walked through. When they got outside, he paused. He was blinking back tears.

"What is it?" Miyako asked.

"Nothing. It's--it's just--it looks exactly the same as it did the night--the night that--"

Miyako had been right. He wasn't thinking just about the battle. He had a night from a few years before on his mind. "You mean when your father passed away, don't you, Cody?"

Iori nodded. "Yeah. Thanks--thanks for coming with me, Yolei. I never would have gone in there by myself."

She smiled. "No problem, Cody. Anytime. But, you know, it's getting late, and I need to head home. I'm sure Poromon is driving my sibs insane by now, and I have a date to get ready for."

"With Ken?" Iori grinned, impishly, making her blush.

"Well...yeah..."

He grinned again at the squeak in her voice. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he warned. "Or at least, don't let Ken."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes sir, Commander Hida," she saluted. "And I'll be home by eleven sharp."

His eyes widened. " _Eleven_!"

She laughed. "Are you coming home now?"

"No, I think I'll stick around here for a little while. I'll come later. I'll probably be back by the time Ken picks you up."

She nodded. "'Kay, then. See ya later!"

"Bye."

After she left, Iori noticed that everything seemed so much quieter. Miyako did that to her surroundings. He shook his head and wandered up the street.

He wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing and as he passed an ice-cream shop, he ran smack into a girl coming out the door with a thud. They both fell on their butts. Iori shook his head and stood, holding out a hand to help her up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." She shook her own head. Her voice was high, but soft, and Iori couldn't help but think that he had heard it before. She looked up at him. "Hey! I know you! But where...? Oh! I remember!"

He frowned, and pulled her to her feet. She _did_ seem familiar...

She brushed at her jeans, and then she went on. "You're one of those DigiDestined!"

Of course. Anyone could have seen his picture. She didn't _know_ him, she knew _of_ him. The receptionist had recognized him from his picture, too. It was kind of unpleasant...he wanted this girl to know him. Iori nodded. "Yes, yes I am..."

"You were in the hospital that night! You carried my wheelchair down the stairs with that blond guy! When that monster went poof, you were right there!"

Iori blinked. This was the girl! The girl in the wheelchair! But...she was very obviously walking now.

"Where's...your...?"

She laughed. "I wasn't in a wheelchair permanently. I had been in a car wreck, and both my legs were broken at the time. I'm all healed _now_."

"Your hair is longer. It was short then," Iori said, motioning at his neck, indicating how long it had been.

She tugged at the brown braid that hung down a little ways over her shoulder. "I grew it out. Is it so impossible that I should change? Just because you haven't...except gotten taller..."

Iori blinked. "Let me start over. My name is Hida Iori. And you?"

"Aoki Mariko."

"Mariko," he repeated. "That's a pretty name--Mariko-san."

She blushed. "Thanks. So what are you doing in this part of town--Iori-san?"

"I live a few blocks that way," Iori said, motioning off to his right. "I don't come over here often."

"You couldn't. My grandmother lives in that building just down there, and I come over here all the time. I would've seen you before. I live that way too, but a little ways farther." She pointed in the same direction of her grandmother's building.

Iori nodded. "I always wondered what happened to you."

"Same here."

"Say, what are you doing now?"

Mariko blushed. "Well...I was going to get some ice cream, but I got in there, and while I was in line, I realized that I accidentally left my wallet at home..."

Iori felt around in his pocket. He had money--more than enough yen for two ice creams. "Let me get you some," he offered impetuously.

She blinked. "Oh, you don't have to do that--"

"But I want to. We can talk while we eat." He smiled, holding out his hand.

She blushed, and took his hand. "Okay!"

They went inside, got in line, and got their ice cream of choice. Then they sat in a booth across from each other.

He took a bite of his. The ice cream was cold, but the hot fudge lingered on his tongue. It was warming to his senses, and he shed his coat. She followed suit.

"So...what happened, in that car wreck?" he asked tentatively.

"Well, me and my parents and my grandparents were going to see a movie, and we got hit on the side of the car by a drunk driver. For a change, it was the drunk driver that died. I came out okay, and so did my grandma and my dad. My mom can't use her right arm as well as she used to. She can write and use scissors and stuff, but she can't, say, throw a ball, or do anything that's a real sudden or rough motion like that. My grandpa--my grandpa died, too."

Iori blinked. "I'm sorry to hear that. I know it would be just awful for me if anything happened to _my_ grandpa."

"Thanks. Hey, tell me about him," Mariko prompted. "About your family."

"Well..." Iori drawled. "Me and my mom and my grandpa all live in our apartment. My dad died when I was seven. He was a police officer, just like my grandpa, and he took a bullet for an official."

"That's sad," Mariko said. "I'm sorry."

Iori smiled softly. "It is kind of sad. But you know, he's always with me. Kind of like a guardian angel."

"That's sweet," she said, smiling.

Iori shrugged. "Anyway, my grandpa's retired from the police, but now he teaches kendo. I'm one of his students."

"Really? You do kendo?"

"Yeah. What about you? Do you play any sports?"

Mariko nodded. "Baseball."

"Really?"

"Yeah. My school's team is called the Rockets. But we're in the off-season now."

Iori laughed. "That's cool."

"Thanks." Mariko blinked suddenly. "Hey, how old are you? I'm going to be fourteen next month."

"I'm already fourteen," Iori told her. "My birthday was a few months ago."

She nodded. "Cool."

"Hey, my digimon is Upamon. Did you get a Digimon after the big battle with MaloMyotismon?"

Mariko nodded. "Yeah, but she's home today. I have a Pagumon...she says she used to be with the bad guys, but after Etemon was defeated, she was reborn as a good guy..."

Iori nodded. "I've heard about that. I'm friends with the DigiDestined that defeated Etemon."

"Oh, wow!"

They went on talking until all their ice cream was gone, and then longer still, until Iori checked his watch and realized he'd have to leave pretty soon to be home on time.

"Aw, that's too bad," Mariko sighed. "I'm having a really good time. Can we do it again?"

Iori blinked. _Well...I_ dooooo _kind of want to see her again..._ She was interesting. "Uh, well...how about..."

"Do you know of Odaiba Park?"

"That's only about seven blocks from my house," Iori said.

"Really? Me too! We just live in different directions from it. Can you meet me there on, say, Saturday? Around noon?"

Iori thought about it. "I have to be at my kendo lesson at three, but if we get there at noon, that should give us plenty of time."

Mariko nodded. "Great! Can we meet at the north gate?"

"Sure. Odaiba Park, north entrance, noon, Saturday?"

"Right! See you there!"

* * *

Iori was rather in a daze as he headed home. He made a wrong turn on his way, and got off the elevator at the wrong floor at his apartment building.

Finally he made it to his own apartment.

"Hello, Cody! I'm in the kitchen!" his mother called.

"Hi, mom! Where's Grandpa?"

"He went downstairs to Yolei's store." Of course, it was Miyako's _family's_ store, but since the Hidas saw so much of her, they referred to it as that. Mrs. Hida came into the entryway, where Iori was hanging up his coat and other bundlings. "I'm surprised you didn't pass him."

 _He probably went down while I was on the wrong floor._ "Me too," Iori said.

"Well, no matter. Yolei stopped in to say that you were...'hanging out' in that neighborhood where that terrible battle took place..."

Iori nodded. "Yeah. We stopped by to see the plaque, and the hospital. I...I wanted to see how they fixed it where the wall got broken...and I wanted to see the place where I was when...when Dad..."

Mrs. Hida nodded. "I understand. So what did you do after Yolei left?"

"I was just walking around. It looks different during the day. And you'll never guess who I met up with over there," he said.

"Who?" she asked.

"Let me get Upamon and I'll tell you both."

Mrs. Hida nodded, and Iori went into his room. Upamon was asleep on the bed. Iori picked him up and he woke. "Codeeeee!"

Iori smiled. "Yeah." He headed out to the kitchen/dining room, where his mom was setting things out for dinner.

"I have to wait until your grandfather gets back before I can start dinner--"

The doorknob rattled, and Iori sat Upamon down and ran for the door. He opened it and relieved his grandfather of a large sack of groceries. Mr. Hida smiled. "Thank you, Cody."

"No problem, Grandpa," Iori said. "Let me take these to Mom while you take off your shoes."

Mr. Hida nodded.

Iori took the sack to the kitchen and set it on the counter, and finally, Mr. Hida joined them. Iori started setting the table while Mr. Hida sat at the table to get off his feet for a minute. Finally, everyone was in the same room.

"So what were you saying, Cody? Who was it that you met up with out there?" Mrs. Hida prompted.

"I was down where we battled Daemon's lackeys, down by Highton View Terrace, and I was just walking around. Remember I told you that on that night, T.K. and Jim and I helped evacuate the hospital? And there was that girl in the wheelchair?"

Mrs. Hida nodded, putting something into a frying pan.

"I was there! I was part of Shakkouimon that night! I remember her!" Upamon said.

"Calm down, little friend," Mr. Hida reminded him. "Remember, we sit quietly at the table."

Upamon nodded. "Sorry!"

"Anyway," Iori said, "I literally bumped into her, and when I went to help her up, we recognized each other. She'd been coming out of an ice cream shop down there, because she'd forgotten her wallet, so I offered to buy her an ice cream so we could talk."

"And?" Mrs. Hida asked.

"And I did, and we talked. And we planned to meet again on Saturday down at the park."

Mrs. Hida smiled. "What's her name?"

"Mariko. Aoki Mariko."

"That's a pretty name," Mrs. Hida said. "You'll have to invite her over here sometime."

Iori blinked. _Oh, dear._ "No, Mom, it's not like that. She's just someone I knew, and we got to talking..."

"I understand if she's just a friend, but I would still like to meet her," Mrs. Hida said.

Mr. Hida got a mischievous gleam in his eye. "You know, there was a time when Hirouki talked about _you_ like that," he told Mrs. Hida.

Mrs. Hida smiled a little, thinking of her late husband. Iori blushed furiously. _It's not like that!_

Of course, Upamon was oblivious to the entire exchange. "What's for dinner?"

"You'll know in an hour when you're eating it," Mrs. Hida told him.

The table was done being set, and Iori excused himself. "I want to go outside and wait and see if I can catch Yolei on her way out."

Mrs. Hida nodded. "Be sure to put on your coat."

Iori bowed and went to the entryway. He pulled on his coat and hurriedly stuffed his feet into his shoes. He left his scarf and knit cap inside, but opted to put on his earmuffs.

He waited on the outdoor balcony/hall for Ken to get there.

Finally, Ken came, passed Iori with a "Hi!" and in a few minutes, passed back by with Miyako on his arm.

"Yolei," Iori said.

Miyako turned to Ken, who shrugged. "We have a movie to get to, Iori, so if you could keep it short, I'd be appreciative..."

Iori nodded. "Of course. I just want you to meet me tomorrow so we can talk _then_."

"Okay," Miyako said, nodding. "I'll meet you right after breakfast, okay?"

Iori nodded. "Great. Now go have fun!"

Miyako giggled, and she and Ken left. Just as they were about to get into the elevator, Iori called out, "And be back by eleven!"

* * *

Iori was in his bed that night, but he couldn't sleep. A bluish light was still on in the living room, and he figured his mom was watching TV.

He was still thinking about Mariko.

 _It's not like that. But--but what if she thinks it is? Then I'm in trouble. It's not like that, but if she thinks it is, and I tell her it's not, she'll get her feelings hurt. And I don't_ want _to hurt her feelings. She's nice, and interesting, and she might be a good friend after a little while._ If _she doesn't think it's like that. Yolei said I ought to make a friend closer to my age, since she might be going to college next year._

He sighed. Thinking would get him nowhere, least of all at this hour. He rolled over and tried to get what sleep he could.

* * *

Iori was outside long before Miyako. But then, she liked to eat. Her breakfast lasted longer.

Finally, she came out, well-bundled in her coat, scarf, hat and earmuffs. Iori remembered that he probably should have worn his own hat, but he'd forgotten in his haste. Oh well.

She spoke first. "So, what's on your mind, Cody?"

He wasn't sure how to start. "You'll never believe who I met yesterday down near the hospital."

"Who?"

"The girl I helped that night."

"Really? And she recognized you like you did her?"

"Yeah." Iori paused. He knew she had no clue where this was going. "I--I bought ice cream for both of us. And we talked."

She nodded.

"And--and when I got home, and told Mom and Grandpa, they teased me a little. About her."

Miyako laughed. "Parents will do that, and grandparents are even worse. Don't worry about it."

Iori scratched the back of his neck. "Well, that's the thing. We agreed to meet at the park on Saturday, and I got to thinking. Maybe she thinks that it's a--a--"

"A date? It's not a hard word, Iori."

"Maybe not for you! You're boy-crazy!"

Miyako laughed.

"It's not like that, Yolei. At least, I don't want it to be."

She looked at him. She studied his eyes, very carefully, for just a moment. "Cody, maybe you had better think about _why_ you don't want it to be that way before you say you don't want it that way. Maybe you do, and you're just embarrassed."

Iori blinked.

"But, on the other hand, you might have perfectly good reasons that you don't want it that way. I'm just saying, don't completely rule it out until you're sure."

Iori nodded. "I think I understand."

Miyako smiled. "Good!" She reached out and hugged him. "You know, it amazes me, how big you're getting. I never thought when I was five and holding little baby Iori that I'd get to see him grow up and have to tell him stuff like this."

He pulled back and smiled at her. "I'm glad that it's you. I like you."

She smiled, and ruffled his hair. "Thanks, Cody. And next time, wear a hat. I gotta go down, it's my day to sweep out the store."

He nodded. "See you later."

"Bye!"

* * *

The only thing that made any sense to Iori now was that no matter what she thought their meeting was or no matter what he wanted out of their relationship, he had to go meet her Saturday. And he only had one day to make up his mind. The next day was Saturday.

He decided to go for a walk, and to take Upamon with him. He bundled up warmly this time, and put a warm knit hat on Upamon.

He wandered the nearby streets, not really headed anywhere. He ended up at the park, and found a bench, and sat.

_Tomorrow I'll be here with her...and it's going to be awkward. Yesterday it was okay because I didn't even think about it, but now I've thought about it and it scares me, so it's going to be awkward. Or maybe it scares me because it's going to be awkward. Waitaminit, why does it scare me at all?_

Upamon looked up at him with those sad, sympathetic eyes, and asked what was wrong.

"Oh, nothing, Upamon."

"Come on, Cody, you can tell me."

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

"Understand what?" Upamon asked, bouncing up.

Iori sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm trying to figure out why I'm scared to see Mariko again. I think it'll be awkward."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what she thinks I want." Upamon just scrunched up his face at that. Iori tried to explain. "I don't know if she likes me or not."

"You said that you got along..."

"If she likes me like a boyfriend, Upamon."

"Is that bad?"

"Well...no...yeah...could you please let me think for a while?"

"Okay!" Upamon smiled, cuddling next to Iori against the cold.

 _So just what do I think?_ Iori frowned, staring at the ground, scuffing his foot into the gravel of the path. _I guess, if she did think that I meant that, I could explain things. But I don't want to hurt her feelings. I just met her, I'd hate it if I made her hate me. And what about what Yolei said? Maybe I do like her that way._ He pondered that. Maybe he was old enough to start thinking about that kind of thing. His mom apparently didn't have any objection, so it was pretty much up to him. He felt a light kind of sensation come over him. A sense of a new freedom. He'd never really thought about it before, but now, he thought, it might actually be kind of nice to like a girl. _Huh...I wonder what it'd be like to kiss a girl. If I was to kiss a girl, would I want it to be Mariko?_ He thought for a few minutes. _I think I would._

But now, a new doubt entered his mind. _What if I was right before and she_ doesn't _think it's like that?_

Either way, he was in deep trouble if he messed up.

"Come on, Upamon," he said, picking the digimon up into his arms and heading toward home.

"Are we going home?"

"No, we're going to the store. You can have some candy, and I'll talk to Yolei."

* * *

When the door over the bell dinged, alerting a customer, Miyako jerked up from behind the counter, setting down her teen magazine. "Oh, it's you, Cody."

"Yeah." Iori went to the candy aisle, got a package of hard candies, and went to the register and paid for it. He set Upamon down on the floor of the now-quiet store and gave him a few of the candies. "Slow day?" he asked Miyako.

"Is it ever," Miyako groaned. "I like it better when it's busy. Time flies, then."

Iori nodded. "Can I ask a question, Yolei?"

"You just did. But ask another."

He smiled. "I was thinking today...maybe I _do_ like Mariko. But what if I was right, and she doesn't think it's like that?" He bit his lip.

Miyako slapped her forehead. "Cody, I can only help you so far...you're just going to have to wait and see tomorrow."

"But I need help!" he cried, almost whining.

Miyako sighed. "Listen. Ken said that he knew I liked him even though I never told him directly, and since he liked me, too, he asked me out."

"Well, how did he know?"

"He said just by the way I acted, and something about my eyes. He said he just _knew_. You're going to have to do this on your own."

He frowned. Well, if that's how she was going to be, he _would_ do it himself! "If you insist, Yolei."

Miyako smiled. "I insist. And I want to hear all about it when it's over!"

* * *

The next morning, Iori was reluctant to wake up and face the day. Finally Upamon woke up and irritated him into getting out of bed.

He ate breakfast in a rush, and quickly excused himself to get dressed. Then he bundled up, and told Upamon to behave while he was gone. He left the apartments and went downstairs. Miyako was sweeping out front of the store when he passed, she wished him luck no matter what he decided.

He paused to chat with her. He wasn't in any big hurry, he didn't have to be there until noon. Of course, she still refused to give him any more advice, so the topics wandered to the store, how business was, what Miyako had planned the next few days, the weather. Miyako mentioned that the weatherpeople had finally said it would snow, sometime that day.

"I hope they're right!" she squealed.

"Me too," Iori said. "Listen, I have to go..."

"Right. Again, good luck!"

"Thanks!"

Iori ran off towards the park. On his way, a few light flurry-flakes started falling.

When he got to the north gate, she was nowhere to be seen. Of course, he was almost half-an-hour early, and that was after he spent forty-five minutes with Miyako.

He sat on a nearby bench, scuffing his foot into the snow, which was starting to accumulate. By the time twenty minutes had passed, there was a good inch on the ground.

"Iori-san?"

Iori turned around in his seat, and smiled. "Mariko-san! Hi!" He stood and walked closer, not at all sure what she wanted or what he ought to do.

She smiled shyly, and almost took a step back. "I thought today would never get here," she said. "Hey, we can sit," she said, motioning toward the bench he'd just gotten up off of.

He shrugged. "Sure." He brushed off a spot and sat on it, letting her have the warm place he'd been sitting on.

There was a pause, but Iori finally broke it. "Hey, did you get any teasing at home?"

"About you, you mean?"

Iori nodded.

Color crept up into her cheeks. "Yeah, I did. You?"

Iori laughed. "Yeah, I did. Not from my mom, but my grandpa."

Mariko smiled. "Sorry..."

"It's not your fault," he said. "My friend Miyako says it's just a grandparent thing, you know, to tease grandkids about their...uh..." Oops. He'd let something slip.

"Their...what?" Mariko frowned.

"No! I didn't mean that you were my--unless you think that--but if you don't that's okay too--I mean--oh dear..."

Mariko blinked. "What are you talking about? Could you explain this to me from the beginning?"

Iori hung his head. He'd messed everything up. One little slip, and now he was fried. "What I mean, is, yesterday, they were teasing me about you. And I said it wasn't like that. But then I thought maybe you thought it _was_ that way. Then I was talking with my friend Miyako, and she said I should think about whether I wanted it that way or not. And I did, and I thought maybe it might be okay--I mean, if you thought so. I thought about it a lot. I was wondering what it was like. And then I thought maybe you _didn't_ want it that way. And--"

Mariko laughed. "Is that why you're all upset?"

Iori blinked. "Well, yeah."

"That's funny," she said. "I was thinking the same thing!"

Iori blinked again. "So...you mean...you were just as worried as I was?"

"Yeah. So...what did you decide?"

He rolled his eyes. "Nothing! I was too nervous!"

She laughed. "Me too. It's so weird. I've never thought about any of this stuff before."

"Me either. But, Mariko-san, you know what?"

"What?"

"I...might kind of like you...that way."

She blushed, and looked down. She didn't answer. "You know...yesterday, I was thinking about what it must be like to kiss. If I'd ever get kissed by a boy, or anything. But, that's just silly, huh?"

He put his gloved fingers on her cheek, and turned her face up so he could look her in the eyes. "No...it's not silly..."

She put her hand over his, and looked straight at him. Iori returned the look, searching her eyes. He read something there, curiosity mixed with fear or something like that.

Mariko bit her lip. "Are you saying--"

Before she could finish, and before he lost his courage, Iori leaned in and just barely touched his lips to hers, pulling away within seconds.

She half-smiled. "I know it's the thought that counts, Iori-san, but that was how my grandma kisses me, just on my lips and not my cheek."

"Well, fine," he said. He hugged her close and, with the white snow falling all around them, he gave her a real kiss, pressing his lips against hers for quite a few seconds. She kissed back, and Iori had to admit that he enjoyed it.

When they finally broke apart, she smiled all the way that time. "I...I liked that, Iori...kun."

He sighed, relieved. He'd done it! And he'd done okay, too, according to her. "Me too, Mariko-chan."

She smiled.

He blushed. "So...I guess this means...that we're..."

"Going out? Yeah, I guess it does. But if we're going to go out, we need to know more about each other."

Iori tilted his head. It hadn't even been five minutes, and he was already enjoying having a girlfriend. "We can learn as we go. But I think we ought to at least exchange phone numbers and e-mails, huh?"

"Yeah...but first, we can go to my house, and you can meet my family, and then we can go to yours, and I can meet your mom and your grandpa..."

"If you come to my place first, you can stay for a while, and watch my kendo lesson, and then I can walk you home and meet your family."

"I'll have to call my mom and let her know that I'll be later, but it'll be okay."

"And you can have lunch at my house. My mom is a great cook."

She smiled. "Well, let's get started, Iori-kun!" She stood, and took his hand, and he led her off to his house.

This was definitely a new experience, but he was enjoying every minute. Introducing her as his girlfriend would be a bit awkward, but after that, things would probably go just fine. And even if they didn't, he still had Mariko to listen to him. The possibilities were just endless. He could hardly wait to find out where they would take him.


End file.
